---
title: Clearwater dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Clearwater, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/clearwater
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Clearwater
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Clearwater dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?

**Short answer:** In Clearwater, a dog on a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building must be on a leash held by a competent person. The exception is an area the District has designated as off-leash. No list or map of those areas was found. An at-large ticket is $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Clearwater, https://www.districtofclearwater.com)  
**Cost:** Ticket for a dog at large or off leash: $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days).  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-674-2257 (Complaints must be in writing or on the online form, with your name and phone number. Email bylaw@docbc.ca.)

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** On a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building, a dog must be under the control of a competent person by means of a leash, unless it is with its person inside an area the District has designated as off-leash. A dog must not be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1 and s. 5.2(a)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "ensure it is under the control of a competent person by means of a leash" … "to be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** None set. Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.
- **Off-leash areas:** Only in an area the District designates as off-leash, and the dog must be accompanied by its person. No list or map of designated areas was found. The District is planning a fenced dog park at Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park, with dogs on-leash until inside the fence.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "within an area designated by the District as an off-leash area"
  - Source: [Dog Park Update](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/)
  - Official wording: "Council selected Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park as the preferred site." … "Requiring dogs to remain on-leash until inside the fenced dog park"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** None set. Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.
- **Cleaning up:** A person responsible for a dog must immediately remove feces the dog deposits on a sidewalk, highway or in a public park, space or building, and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "must immediately remove feces deposited by the dog and dispose of it in a sanitary manner"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket: animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash (prohibited area) $100 ($75).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7 (Animal Control Bylaw No. 148)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Animal at large" … "Dog off leash (prohibited area)" … "Fine if paid"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the District's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/>), a dog on a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building must be under the control of a competent person by means of a leash. A dog must not be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place. The only exception is a dog with its person inside an area the District has designated as off-leash.

## Good to know

- No list or map of designated off-leash areas was found. Ask the District at 250-674-2257.
- The District's [Dog Park Update](<https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/>) page says Council chose Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park as the preferred site for a fenced dog park, with dogs on leash until inside the fence. It is a project update, so check that the park is open.
- Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs. Only aggressive dogs have a limit (2.4 metres).
- The bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.
- Clean up: you must immediately remove any feces your dog leaves on a sidewalk, highway or in a public park, space or building, and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.
- Municipal tickets under the [MTI Bylaw No. 221](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/>): animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash in a prohibited area $100 ($75).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
- [Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)

## Related questions

- [Clearwater rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/how-many-pets.md)
- [Clearwater bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Clearwater. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules/_